Sunday it will be exactly two years ago that ‘Patient 0’ with corona was admitted to the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in Tilburg. In the following period, the coronavirus shut down the world. The virus killed almost 3600 people from Brabant. The sad consequences of two years of corona will be commemorated on Sunday in the Hasselt Chapel in Tilburg.
Joost Boons (57) from Loon op Zand was patient 0. He had been to a leather fair in Italy, then celebrated carnival and became ill. The virus has already spread around the world, so it was only a matter of time before it would also affect the Netherlands. Joost survived corona, many other people from Brabant did not.
Looking back, standing still and looking ahead
In the past two years, 3,588 fellow provincials have died from Covid-19. Brabant will reflect on this with the special commemorative broadcast on Sunday. The meeting is an initiative of various Brabant municipalities (including Tilburg, Eindhoven, Den Bosch, Breda and Helmond) and the province of North Brabant.
The commemorative broadcast looks back with those involved, reflects on the present and looks ahead. Mayor Theo Weterings of Tilburg is one of the speakers. He was involved from the very first moment, calling for social distancing, for example. King’s Commissioner Ina Adema started her new position in corona time. She will also share her experiences.
Own crisis
The people of Brabant sometimes experience their own crisis. For example, Marjolein Pauly from Eindhoven explains how corona still hinders her daily life. She has Long-Covid and is working on her recovery every day. “I liked going on vacation. Now when I go to my parents, a few kilometers away, I have to lie down first.” Her future is still unclear. “I hope I can do some spontaneous fun things again, that’s my goal.”
Merciless
The virus struck mercilessly in Meierijstad. “There were so many stories to tell,” says Tom Berkens. He made a podcast series with residents from all village centers. There are also thirteen so-called ‘muse benches’ in the municipality. “You can sit there while you listen to the stories. Or just sit and let your mind wander.”
Entrepreneur Chris Teeke from Breda, has a personal training studio and was silent for months. That affected him, his employees and his family. Chris wanted to show his son that you have to be resilient in any situation, including dark times.
social media
Tilburger Bryan Vreijsen felt lonely and shared this on social media. He was not the only young person with those feelings. His project ‘Brabant Maatje’ now has twelve hundred members and they undertake all kinds of activities together.
Elianne van Elderen (25) wrote a poem in which she looks back. Students of the Rock Academy Anouk Vrokken and Marten Oosterhaven graduated in corona time. They wrote a song and played it during the commemoration.
The commemoration can be seen online at Omroep Brabant from 17.45 to 18.30, but can also be followed via the municipality of Tilburg and Broadcasting Tilburg.